Take One Breath
by IOnlyDateEmpaths
Summary: Somebody very close to Bella dies. Jasper comforts her. One shot.


**Author`s Note: I recommend you find somewhere to listen to the song Take One Breath** **by The Spill Canvas. It`s very powerful and heartfelt – I nearly cried. I own neither the lyrics nor the characters, so don`t hassle me. I know Jasper playing acoustic guitar is a huge FF cliché but just give me a chance.**

***

It had been weeks.

She was inconsolable.

Renee had been her best friend. She was never really a mother, but she was the most important woman in Bella`s life.

And now she was gone.

Drunk driving, they said. That sounded like Renee. She never was very sensible.

Hell, when Bella first heard about it she almost laughed.

She sure as fuck wasn`t laughing now.

Renee had died in the hospital.

When Bella heard the news she became numb. Robotic.

She barely ate.

She barely slept.

Alice never 'saw' her.

Jasper never 'felt' her.

She was there; but not.

Edward was desperate. He begged Jasper to fill her with false emotions, and he complied, finding her emptiness unnerving. She shrugged the waves of feeling off.

***

Jasper had had enough.

One day he ran into Edward`s room, where she was staying while Charlie needed some time alone. She was sitting cross-legged on the bed, staring down at her feet. Silent tears streaked her face, though she felt no sorrow.

He didn`t speak. He simply lifted her chin and looked into her chocolate eyes, wiping the salt water from her cheeks.

There was love in his touch, but not _love_.

Familial love.

Comforting love.

_The kind she needed._

He sat on the bed opposite her, still silent. An acoustic guitar strap was over his shoulder. He adjusted it, shifting the instrument until he was holding it correctly.

Jasper`s guitar was pale grey, classic. It was simple and all the more beautiful for it. The energy with which he played was normally unbelievable, but today was not the day for that.

Strumming softly, he began singing.

"You`ve got to start trying to eat again

Even though the only thing you hunger for

Is to have back your friend.

You`ve got to do your best to get some rest

Even though time seems irrelevant now

And you're more than sick of this pain inside your chest.

If this house would collapse on top of me

The space would still remain

Much like her body refusing to function

Her soul won't go away

Take one breath and then take another

Repeat these simple steps

Until you feel like you're doing better.

Take one breath

Let the calm of it consume you

Everybody knows that it's never fair

There's really only one thing we can do.

You`ve got to keep your head above the water

Even though sweet suffocation is a fine temptation

You'll always be her daughter.

You`ve got to push onward through the day

Keep your mind constantly running

You`ve got to let the sun in

She would have wanted it that way.

If this house would collapse on top of me

The space would still remain

Much like her body refusing to function

Her soul won't go away.

Take one breath and then take another

Repeat these simple steps

Until you feel like you're doing better.

Take one breath

Let the calm of it consume you

Everybody knows that it's never fair

There's really only one thing we can do.

At 4am when you are wide awake and fighting with yourself

There's about a thousand numbers to dial

Including mine if you need help.

There is no easy way to deal with these events

But if it's any consolation I will be here, if you need a friend.

Take one breath and then take another

Repeat these simple steps

Until you feel like you're doing better.

Take one breath

Let the calm of it consume you

Everybody knows that it's never fair

There's really only one thing we can do."

That was it. Bella could take no more.

She began crying audibly with the tears, throwing herself into her brother-in-law`s cold embrace. He held the sobbing human girl, stroking her hair, but never calming her with his gift. Jasper knew she needed to feel her grief. He said nothing of life going on or her mother being in a better place, for he knew that was not true and she knew it also.

She did not believe in God. She did not believe in heaven. She was not under the false impression that there was more after death than nothingness as your body rotted underground and those above wept for you. It was moments like this, however, that she wished she did.

For to _want_ faith, but be unable to have it, is the worst feeling in the world.

It was a feeling he knew well.

It was _all_ he knew.

No words were spoken as he soothed her, his touch said everything.

It said, _I feel your pain._

It said, _I am so sorry._

It said, _I will not leave unless you ask me to._ _If holding you for eternity will help, I shall._

But most importantly, it said_, I love you, my sister._

And it needed say no more than that.


End file.
